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WINK MARTINDALE: 1933-2025
From Deadline

Wink Martindale, one of TV’s most beloved game show hosts whose name became virtually synonymous with the profession, died Tuesday in Rancho Mirage, CA. He was 91.

The initial statement said the host of such classic game shows as Tic-Tac-Dough, High Rollers and Gambit as part of a 74-year career in radio and television was “surrounded by family and his beloved wife of 49 years, Sandra Martindale."

According to his publicist Brian Mayes, Martindale had been battling lymphoma for a year. “He was doing pretty well up until a couple weeks ago,” Mayes said by phone from Nashville.

Winston Conrad “Wink” Martindale was born on December 4, 1933, in Jackson, TN. He launched his career as a disc jockey in Jackson at the age of 17, then rising through the ranks at Memphis’ WHBQ, where, according to his family, on the evening of July 10, 1954, fellow DJ Dewey Phillips played Elvis Presley’s debut record, “That’s All Right,” on the radio for the very first time — playing the tune repeatedly while Martindale phoned Presley’s mother and asked if Elvis could come down to the radio station.

“Elvis soon arrived at WHBQ for his first interview, and music was changed forever,” the family statement reads. Martindale also found his own success as a recording artist, performing the spoken-word song “Deck of Cards” in 1959, a track that went to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart and sold over 1 million copies.

Later that year, Martindale moved to Los Angeles as the morning host of pre-“Boss Jock” KHJ-AM. The following year he joined the morning crew at archrival KRLA and moved to KFWB in 1962, replacing future Laugh-In announcer Gary Owens. He also had stints at KGIL-AM from 1968-71, KKGO-FM/KJQI and Gene Autry’s KMPC from 1971-79 and 1983-87, KABC in 1989 and KJQI from 1993-94.

His additional radio credits include Hit Parade Radio and the syndicated programs Music of Your Life, 100 Greatest Christmas Hits of All Time, The History of Rock ‘n’ Roll, the three-hour Those Were the Days and recent recurring appearances on The Howard Stern Show. Among his most popular radio specials was The Elvis Presley Story in 1975.

While he first found success in radio, the handsome Martindale found wider, national fame on television. Earlier in Memphis, he’d hosted a science fiction-themed kids series called Mars Patrol and then hosted Teenage Dance Party, where his new friend Presley made an appearance on June 16, 1956.

But it wasn’t until 1964, when he landed his first game-show hosting job on NBC’s What’s This Song?, that Martindale found his niche. He followed the musical-contest show with NBC’s Words and Music, CBS’ Gambit and his biggest success Tic-Tac-Dough. Martindale hosted the popular and long-running Tic-Tac-Dough for its first seven seasons, leaving in 1985 to host Headline Chasers, which was the first show he produced and created, in association with Merv Griffin and syndication giant King World.

Martindale also went on to host such popular game shows as High Rollers, The Last Word, The Great Getaway Game, Trivial Pursuit, Debt, Instant Recall and more.

With his wide grin and bubbly air, Martindale rather personified the game hosts – and became a frequent target of The Tonight Show host Johnny Carson, who enjoyed skewering the genre and its famous faces.

“A good host is a person who loves people,” Martindale said in a 2017 interview with the Television Academy Foundation. “If you’re a people person, you’re naturally going to be attracted to contestants, and it’s easy for you to be able to interact with those people.”

In recent years, Martindale made appearances on such programs as Most Outrageous Game Show Moments, The Chase, and The Bold and the Beautiful, and appeared in commercials for Orbitz, KFC (alongside Rob Lowe) and more.

Martindale also worked in local Los Angeles TV, hosting KTLA’s American Bandstand-influenced P.O.P. Dance Party on Saturdays from the old Pacific Ocean Park pier during the early 1960s. He also hosted dance shows for KCOP and KHJ-TV.

By 1970, Martindale was so recognizable as a DJ and game show host that he merited a Cheech & Chong parody on the duo’s debut comedy album. Cheech Marin took on the role of “Wink Dickerson,” a smooth-talking but nerdy DJ at AM radio station KRUT. Tommy Chong played the stoner emcee of a multi-act concert who is tasked with introducing him – but can’t quite get the name right, saying, “I’m really not into AM, man.” When Chong’s character hits the stage, he calls him “Dink Winkerson from KRUD radio.”

“Dink” proceeds to drop a bunch of period slang in an effort to ingratiate himself to the booing young crowd as he brings on the next act, Blind Melon Chitlin’. The LP reached the Top 30 and went gold, launching Cheech & Chong’s long career and cementing Martindale as one of the quintessential, best-known game show hosts of his generation.

Martindale also supported numerous causes and produced and hosted annual telethons for Cerebral Palsy and St. Jude Children’s Hospital, among other charities.

In 2006, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 2024 he was honored with a Beale Street Note on Memphis’ Beale Street Walk of Fame – not far from where, in 2015, he was presented with the Distinguished Alumni Award by his alma mater, the University of Memphis. He also was one of the first inductees into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame and received the 1972 Gavin Radio Programming Award.

In addition to his wife, Martindale is survived by sister Geraldine; daughters Lisa, Lyn and Laura; a large extended family of grandchildren and great grandchildren; and his “honorary son” Eric.

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posted 4/16/2025


Sony Pictures TV Studios/CBS Media Ventures

Appeals Court Tables Sony/CBS Verdict
CBS Regains Right of Distribution... For Now
From the Desk

A California appeals court has paused a preliminary injunction issued by a lower court last week that gave Sony Pictures Television clearance to seek out better distribution deals for its game shows “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune.”

The injunction is part of a lawsuit filed by Sony against Paramount Global and CBS Media Ventures last October, which argued the broadcaster breached its distribution contract by improperly licensing the shows to third parties, among other things.

For years, CBS Media Ventures — which previously operated as CBS Television Distribution and King World, among other names — have licensed the two game shows to local television stations in the United States since the late 1990s as part of its broadcast syndication business.

Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune attract some of the highest TV ratings among syndicated programs, with more than 8 million households tuning in to watch one or both game shows.

In its lawsuit, Sony says CBS violated its contract by inking long-term syndication deals with broadcasters in Australia and New Zealand. Foreign syndication deals are limited to two years under its current contract, Sony affirmed, but CBS went beyond that term and refused to hand over its licensing commissions.

The lawsuit comes at a time when Sony is hoping to explore additional distribution deals with other platforms, including streaming services, for both shows.

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posted 4/16/2025

Brand Recognition
Jimmy Fallon to Host Business Competition
From the Futon Critic

NBC has greenlit "On Brand with Jimmy Fallon," an innovative unscripted series that follows what happens when Jimmy Fallon starts a premier marketing agency and fills it with the most creative, clever, and competitive go-getters he can find. The series will be hosted, executive produced and created by Fallon based on his experience and expertise working with an impressive list of his own global partnerships in the auto, insurance, apparel, gaming and technology industries. It will premiere later this year in collaboration with production company Electric Hot Dog.

Among the household brands to be featured are Captain Morgan, Dunkin', KitchenAid, Marshalls, Pillsbury, Samsung, SONIC(R) Drive-In, Southwest Airlines and Therabody. Samsung will power the "On Brand Agency's" headquarters.

Fallon recruited Bozoma Saint John as the On Brand Agency's Chief Marketing Officer, where she will mentor the creatives and evaluate their work. Saint John is a legendary marketing executive famous for pushing boundaries and who boasts an unmatched resumé of C-suite experience at the world's top brands, including Uber, Pepsi and Netflix.

In each episode, the On Brand Agency creatives will work with a major brand in need of a big idea for a massive, high-priority campaign - from creating earworm jingles and unbelievable activations to producing the most quotable commercials and must-have merchandise. They will have unprecedented access to the client's businesses before pitching their vision to a brand representative, along with Saint John and Fallon, with only the best ideas moving on to proof of concept and the opportunity to see their campaign brought to life on the national stage after each episode.

In a final big assignment, one visionary will be named the best in the business, given a cash prize and provided the experience of changing the cultural landscape. All the creatives will truly need to flex their innovative muscles to turn the unfinished into the unforgettable. The only rule? The best idea wins.

"I love branding, I love marketing, I love the world of advertising, and I think there are a lot of people out there who do as well," said Fallon. "This show lets the audience and our contestants get a peek behind the curtain of how campaigns for some of the biggest brands come together and what goes into making them. It's exciting."

The "On Brand" format will be licensed globally by NBCUniversal Formats, a division of Universal Studio Group.

"On Brand with Jimmy Fallon" is produced by B17 Entertainment and Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Electric Hot Dog. Executive producers are Jimmy Fallon, Brien Meagher, Rhett Bachner, Pip Wells and Kelly Powers. Creative Artists Agency's (CAA) Media & Entertainment Partnerships division serves as a collaborative business partner with NBCUniversal to bring leading brands to the show.

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posted 4/16/2025

ITVBe Gets Its Quiz On
Channel Rebrands to Center on Games
From the BBC

ITV has announced that its ITVBe channel will close in June 2025, and be replaced by a new channel focusing on quiz and game shows.

Launched in 2014, ITVBe has primarily been the home for reality and unscripted programmes, such as The Only Way Is Essex (Towie).

The reality shows currently airing on the channel, including Towie and the Real Housewives franchise, will now move to ITV2, the broadcaster said.

It has not been announced which programs will populate the schedule for ITV Quiz.

However, the network said it planned to use the channel slot to "draw on ITV's popular, market-leading UK quiz and game shows".

Popular quiz and game shows broadcast on ITV include The Chase, Tipping Point, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, The 1% Club, Deal or No Deal, Catchphrase and Jeopardy!.

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posted 4/16/2025

You Were Warned...
Mickey Rourke Exits Celebrity Big Brother, Plans to Sue
From DEadline

Mickey Rourke is leaving the Celebrity Big Brother UK house after further use of inappropriate language.

“Mickey Rourke has agreed to leave the Celebrity Big Brother House this evening following a discussion with Big Brother regarding further use of inappropriate language and instances of unacceptable behavior,” a spokesperson for CBB said in a statement.

The latest incident involved a conversation between Rourke and fellow housemate and Love Island UK alum Chris Hughes after they disagreed during a task. Although the exchange didn’t involve a physical altercation, Rourke used “threatening and aggressive” language.

Rourke had been warned earlier this week about using inappropriate language after he used a homophobic slur toward fellow housemate JoJo Siwa.

Siwa nominated Rourke with a killer nomination, putting him on the block and at risk of leaving the house. The actor escaped eviction following the public vote, which opted to evict the controversial conservative politician Michael Fabricant instead.

Rourke is reportedly exploring legal action against the show for allegedly withholding money he feels entitled to, TMZ reports. Kimberly Hines, Rourke's rep, tells that he is currently speaking with lawyers in the UK and are weighing a lawsuit against ITV, the company that produces the show. .

During his stay in the house and following reports of Rourke’s remarks about Siwa, former co-star Bella Thorne accused him of misconduct while filming the movie Girl.

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posted 4/16/2025

Jimmy Carr Asks "AITA"
Comedy Central UK Greenlights New Panel Series Based on Subreddit
From DEadline

The notorious “Am I The A**hole?” subreddit is being turned into a gameshow for Comedy Central UK hosted by LOL: Last One Laughing UK’s Jimmy Carr. Jimmy Carr’s Am I The A**hole? will invite members of the public to come before the host and a panel of two other comedians to ask controversial questions. These questions will cover everything from jaw-dropping relationship disputes to the pettiest of family squabbles and stories of behaviors that are guaranteed to split opinion. The “Am I The A**hole?” sub-reddit is famous worldwide and uses the acronym AITA. The BBC mined Reddit in the past for its hit comedy Am I Being Unreasonable?, which is also a famous subreddit. Jimmy Carr’s Am I The A**hole? is being produced by STV Studios-owned Tuesday’s Child. The series will be filmed in late spring and is due to air later this year on Comedy Central UK. Carr said: “There are an impressive number of a**holes in our country and they’re finally getting the recognition they deserve on national television.”

Deadline
Televisual

posted 4/16/2025

The Floor Heads to Australia
Nine Greenlights Down Under Version
From MEdia Week

Australia is set for a trivia experience like no other with the The Floor set to debut on Nine later this month.

With $200,000 on the line, 81 contestants will face off in a thrilling battle of wits, hosted by Rodger Corser (Doctor Doctor, Underbelly). The high-stakes competition will be available to stream live on 9Now.

Contestants begin with a single tile on the arena floor, representing their area of expertise. Their objective is simple: outsmart their opponents in head-to-head duels, claim more tiles, and make it to the final showdown for the life-changing prize.

The game features an eclectic mix of contestants, from teachers to tradies, nurses to entrepreneurs, with familiar faces like Married at First Sight star Jules Robinson and popular MasterChef contestant Amina Elshafei joining the challenge.

Media Week

posted 4/16/2025

Wednesday Lightning Round
... or "Stand Up, Emmy"

  • Nate Bargatze to host 2025 Emmys for CBS (TV Line)

  • Alan Cumming ring-a-dings for Doctor Who (TV Insider)

  • SPOILER ALERT: "The Challenge All-Stars Rivals" comes to an end... and not in the way you'd expect (TV Insider)

  • Snoop Dogg to host Time100 for ABC (The Hollywood Reporter)

  • Gabby Windey legally weds her wife (Realiyt TV World)

  • Jonathan Towns diagnosed with ASD (Reality Blurred)

  • Sydnee Falkner wants another shot at the Million Dollar Secret (TMZ)

  • A FEW GOOD MINUTES with Gerry Turner one year after his breakup (Swooon)

posted 4/16/2025


Ryan Pritchard
E. JAY KRAUSE: 1927-2025
"Upstairs Downstairs" Actress/Co-Creator Played Games
From Deadline

E. Jay Krause, the Emmy-winning art director and set designer whose work has colored the golden age of variety television, died in Los Angeles, Calif. yesterday at the age of 98.

Over the course of his three decade-spanning career from the 1950s through 1980s, Krause has designed sets for over 180 productions, earning acclaim for his inventive and elegant visual style. He was behind the look of TV specials featuring iconic performances by the likes of Bob Hope, Diana Ross, Mitzi Gaynor, the Jacksons and Rudolf Nureyev.

His original sets for NBC‘s ’60s-era daytime game show The Hollywood Squares was immortalized at NBC Studios, while his ’70s-style psychedelic patterns emblematic of sketch comedy show Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In have cemented their place in the pop culture lexicon. He received two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Art Direction: one for Mitzi’s 2nd Special in 1970 and another for Diana! in 1972.

In 1983, Krause founded Omega Cinema Props, which grew to become one of the industry’s largest independent prop houses, “offering an unlimited selection of residential, institutional and commercial props including furniture, accessories and lighting fixtures of all periods and styles,” per its website.

Alongside his wife Doris, Krause spent more than three decades sourcing rare and distinctive set dressing from around the world, curating a collection that remains integral to film and television productions today.

Known to friends and family simply as Jay, Krause was a native Angeleno. He served with distinction in the U.S. Navy during World War II, taking part in the harrowing 82-day Battle of Okinawa. After his military service, he pursued his passion for design at Pepperdine University and began his professional career at NBC in 1951.

He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Carson and Barry Pritchard, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

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Variety
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posted 4/14/2025



Game Show Network

GSN Slates Its Big 2 for 2025
"Tic Tac Dough", "Bingo Blitz" to Premiere Back to Back April 14
From the Futon Critic

Game Show Network, the leader in game show entertainment across multimedia, premieres two new weeknight shows beginning Monday, April 14. Brooke Burns will host an updated version of the classic TIC TAC DOUGH at 7PM ET, while Valerie Bertinelli hosts an all-new show, BINGO BLITZ, based on the free-to-play app Bingo Blitz, at 7:30PM ET.

TIC TAC DOUGH is an update of NBCUniversal's classic format originally created by Robert Noah. The show is hosted by the incomparable Brooke Burns ("Master Minds", "The Chase"), who guides two contestants as they compete to place three of their marks in a row on the giant trivia board. After three rounds, the winning player moves on to face the dragon in the grand prize round, where the dragon moves strategically on the board to block the player's ability to make three-in-a-row and take home $10,000.

Actress and Emmy(R)-nominated television host Brooke Burns began her career with breakout roles in "Ally McBeal," "Baywatch," and "Melrose Place." In 2002, she made her game show hosting debut on NBC's "Dog Eat Dog," and went on to host ABC's "You Deserve It" with Chris Harrison. From 2013-2015 Burns served as host of Game Show Network's Emmy(R)-nominated and wildly popular UK-adapted trivia show, "The Chase," where she was also nominated for an Emmy(R) as outstanding game show host. In 2020, she began hosting Game Show Network's "Master Minds," the exciting game of trivia, smarts and strategy. Burns has appeared in the films "Shallow Hal" and "Trial by Fire." She is known as well for her starring roles on the Hallmark and Lifetime Channels, for the original movie franchise "Gourmet Detective," and earlier films "A Sister's Revenge," "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," and "Christmas Connection."

Based on the #1 Free-to-Play App of the same name, in the BINGO BLITZ game show on Game Show Network, two contestants compete in a dynamic blend of trivia and bingo. The ultimate game of knowledge, strategy and luck, contestants answer trivia to earn bingo balls and points. In addition to numbered bingo balls, players also receive gold balls they can strategically place on their cards to increase their chances of making a bingo. Bingos earn the players bonus points, and special 'power-ups' on the players' cards earn them extra points, bingo balls and prizes. After three rounds, the player with the highest score advances to the fast-action Blitz round, where making a bingo in 60 seconds or less awards them $10,000.

Valerie Bertinelli is one of Hollywood’s most adaptable talents, and now she’s taking on a new role as host of Game Show Network’s Bingo Blitz. The new series combines bingo play with trivia challenges and offers a grand prize of $10,000 to the winners.

Bertinelli has been in show business since she was just a child, with her first award-winning role in One Day at a Time coming when she was just a teenager. Since then, she’s made many different career moves, including hosting cooking shows for Food Network and being a brand ambassador, and Bingo Blitz is her latest pivot to something entirely new.

Valerie Bertinelli's long and celebrated career includes being an equally beloved actress, Emmy(R) Award-winning host, New York Times best-selling author, spokesperson, and entrepreneur. A two-time Golden Globe(R) winner, Valerie landed her big break at age 15 as Barbara Cooper on One Day At A Time, Norman Lear's 1975 acclaimed series. She helped develop, produce, and star in many highly rated TV movies and mini-series and for six seasons starred as Melanie Moretti in TV Land's hit sitcom Hot in Cleveland. In August 2012, she received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Valerie has also written several best-selling memoirs and cookbooks and has hosted two of her own shows on the Food Network. Her best and favorite production is her son, Wolfgang, who achieved his own fame as the bassist for the legendary rock group Van Halen on its 2007-2008 North American Tour and for his own Grammy-nominated band, Mammoth WVH. In September 2024, Valerie joined The Drew Barrymore Show as a lifestyle expert. Valerie will soon be heard in Disney Jr's new animated series, RoboGobo.

TIC TAC DOUGH is a Game Show Enterprises Studios production with Rane Laymance as executive producer and Sabrina Hybel Snow as co-executive producer. Village Roadshow Television (VRTV) serves as the studio with Harry Friedman and VRTV's Shannon Perry executive producing.

BINGO BLITZ is a Game Show Enterprises Studios production with Rane Laymance as executive producer and Sabrina Hybel Snow as co-executive producer. Playtika Santa Monica, LLC serves as executive producer. Virtual studio technology is by GameChanger Ltd. with Yaron Yashinski, Nimrod Harel and Roy Even Tov serving as executive producers.

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posted 4/15/2025

"Project Runway" Returns to Canada
Coco Rocha, Jeanne Beker to Feature
From DEadline

Bell Media‘s Crave is reviving Project Runway Canada with a 10-episode order.

The fashion competition has set Coco Rocha as host and judge, with Jeanne Beker joining the judging panel.

Production for the reality TV series is in collaboration with Fashion at The Creative School, Toronto Metropolitan University. Filming is set to begin this summer, and the series will debut on Crave later this year.

“Canada’s fashion culture and industry deserves to be celebrated, and this is the perfect moment to spotlight homegrown designers,” said Carlyn Klebuc, General Manager, Original Programming, Bell Media. “Project Runway is already an iconic franchise, and we can’t wait to give it a distinctly Canadian twist.”

Michela DiMondo, EVP, International Distribution, Fremantle Canada, said: “We are delighted to be working with our partners at Bell Media to launch Project Runway Canada. Project Runway has had a profound effect on the fashion industry and is known globally for launching careers. We can’t wait to see Project Runway Canada open doors for some of the country’s most inspiring fashion designers in this international renowned fashion series”.

Project Runway Canada is based on the Fremantle format created by Eli Holzman in 2004. The reality competition was first adapted for Canadian audiences in 2007 and last aired in 2009 after two seasons.

DEadline

posted 4/15/2025

More on "Genius Game"
Catch It on ITV1 April 30
From The News International

David Tennant, best known for his iconic role as the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who and his standout performances in Broadchurch and Good Omens, is now all set to take on a new challenge in his career.

ITV has launched a latest quiz show called Genius Game, and they’ve got the amazing David Tennant as the host.

Coming to ITV1 and ITVX on April 30, 2025, this exciting eight-part series mix clever strategy, mind games, and social skills.

In Genius Game, David Tennant takes on the role of "The Creator," mysterious figure guiding contestants through unique and challenging tasks.

However, the exciting game isn’t just about being smart, players must also use their social skills to deceive, form alliances, and outwit each other in order to claim the grand cash prize.

ITV’s Genius Game, which is based on Korean format, is being called a “groundbreaking” strategy-based reality show, drawing comparisons to BBC’s The Traitors for its high-stakes gameplay.

A teaser trailer featuring Tennant in a futuristic game set has sparked buzz, with fans noting similarities to the Doctor Who TARDIS interior.

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posted 4/15/2025

Tuesday Lightning Round
... or "Looking for BLANK"


posted 4/15/2025

LeAnn Rimes, Sheryl Crow Go Mega
Meet "The Voice's" Season 27 Mega Mentors
From The Futon Critic

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Sheryl Crow and internationally acclaimed superstar LeAnn Rimes will serve as mega mentors on season 27 of the four-time Emmy Award-winning musical competition series "The Voice," airing Mondays (8 p.m. ET/PT) on NBC and streaming next day on Peacock.  

Rimes, a coach on "The Voice UK" and "The Voice Australia," joins John Legend and Adam Levine while Crow joins coaches Kelsea Ballerini and Michael Bublé to mentor the remaining artists as each team prepares for the Playoffs, kicking off Monday, April 28.  

Each coach enters the Playoffs with five artists per team. Alongside the coaches, Crow and Rimes bring their distinct vocals, creative edge and deep industry experience to guide the artists into their most high-stakes performances yet. Coaches alone choose two artists from their team to advance to the Live Shows.  

Nine-time Grammy Award winner, singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2023. Twenty-five years after winning her first Grammy, as well as Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "All I Wanna Do," Crow's career is filled with songs that defined the third wave of feminism. Her first nine studio albums have sold 35 million copies worldwide, seven charted in the Top 10 and five were certified for multi-platinum sales. The full-length documentary based on Crow's life and career, titled "Sheryl," premiered to critical acclaim at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival. Crow released her 11th full-length studio album, "Evolution," on March 29, 2024. 

LeAnn Rimes is an internationally acclaimed, multi-platinum-selling singer and an ASCAP award-winning songwriter. She has sold more than 48 million units globally and has won two Grammy Awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards, two World Music Awards, three Academy of Country Music Awards, two Country Music Association Awards, and one Dove Award. At 14, Rimes won Best New Artist, making her the youngest solo artist to take home a Grammy. At 15, she became the first country artist to win Artist of the Year at the Billboard Music Awards. Of the 65 singles she has released throughout her expansive career, Rimes' ballad "How Do I Live" holds the record as Billboard's Hot 100 all-time #1 hit by a female artist and currently ranks #6 on Billboard's Greatest of All Time: Hot 100 Songs list. Fifteen of her multi-genre singles are top 10 hits, including "Can't Fight the Moonlight," which went #1 in 11 countries. In 2024, Rimes achieved an unprecedented milestone by simultaneously serving as a coach on "The Voice Australia" and "The Voice UK." In 2023, Rimes received the prestigious ASCAP Golden Note Award, recognizing her extraordinary career achievements, and was inducted into the California Music Hall of Fame. Beyond her music, Rimes is a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, mental health and humanitarian causes. She has been honored with the Ally of Equality Award by the Human Rights Campaign, the 2019 HOPE Award for Depression Advocacy, and the ACM Humanitarian Award. Her podcast, "Wholly Human," brings her wellness blog, "Soul of EverLe," to life, reaching #2 on iTunes' Health & Fitness Chart.

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posted 4/14/2025


Getty
JEAN MARSH: 1934-2025
"Upstairs Downstairs" Actress/Co-Creator Played Games
From the BBC

Upstairs Downstairs co-creator and actress Jean Marsh has died aged 90, her agent has confirmed.

The British screen and stage star won an Emmy for her portrayal of hard-bitten but ultimately kind-hearted maid Rose Buck in the 1970s TV drama about the class system in Edwardian England.

Marsh also had roles in Hollywood films including Cleopatra, Willow and Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy and on TV in Doctor Who and the TV adaptation of 9 to 5.

In a statement, Marsh's friend the film director Sir Michael Lindsay-Hogg paid tribute to her as "wise and funny... very pretty and kind, and talented both as an actress and writer", adding she died "peacefully in bed looked after by one of her very loving carers".

In his statement, Sir Michael described almost daily phone conversations with Marsh over the past 40 years. She was, he said, an "instinctively empathetic person who was loved by everyone who met her".

Marsh came up with the idea of a period drama involving the servants of a wealthy family while house sitting in France with her friend, the actress Dame Eileen Atkins, she later told the New York Times. The pair went on to create the series, which told the story of the Bellamy family and their servant staff who lived underneath them, alongside John Hawkesworth and John Whitney.

The ITV show was a critical and popular success and also found a fond audience in the United States, where it aired on PBS.

Upstairs Downstairs is said to have partly inspired the Downton Abbey series and was later revived and reimagined by the BBC in 2010. Marsh became the only original cast member to return, portraying the same role in five episodes.

Asked by the Daily Telegraph in 2010 why viewers appeared to be so interested in master-and-servant dramas, Marsh said: "We still seem to want it because if you rose out of your class, you knew you had done well. And we like it because the past is not as worrying as the news."

She teamed up again with Dame Eileen Atkins in 1991 to co-create the BBC costume drama The House of Eliott. Her other notable TV credits included roles in The Twilight Zone and Grantchester.

In games, she featured on episodes of "To Tell the Truth", "Call My Bluff", and the original "MasterChef".

Her stage credits include plays by Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw. But she was forced to scale back her acting commitments following a stroke in 2011. London-born Marsh was married for five years to actor Jon Pertwee, who later starred as Dr Who.

In 2012, she was made an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) for services to drama.

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posted 4/14/2025

Bigger "Bet"
Catch It on ITV1 Q3 2025
From TV Zone

ITV have confirmed that You Bet! will be returning for a full series later this year on ITV1 and ITVX, with major format changes following the two specials episodes which aired last year.

It's still the show where ordinary people take on extraordinary challenges but this time ITV will be taking it on the road! Each of the seven episodes - including a Christmas special - will take place in a different iconic location around the country.

ITV explains: "Free from the restrictions of the studio - our epic challenges are about to get a whole lot bigger. Watching on, our celebrity panel's job is simple; they must decide if each challenger will succeed - Yes or No. If they guess correctly, they'll be awarded points. The Celebrity with the most points at the end of the show will receive £5,000 for their chosen charity."

Last year's reboot became ITV’s biggest Entertainment launch for younger viewers for over two years, consolidating to 3.2m, rising to 4.1m including repeats. This is ITV's biggest entertainment launch for 16-34s since The 1% Club launched in April 2022. Including repeats You Bet! has been watched by half a million (463,000) 16-34s.

The new 6x60' series will air in Q3 of this year, with the Christmas special following in December.

You Bet! is available now on ITVX.

TV Zone

posted 4/14/2025

Monday Lightning Round
... or "Since You've Been Gone on Line 1..."

  • Greg Gutfield to host a game show on Fox Nation. Three guesses what that entails... (TV Line)

  • Johnny Bananas' mouth hole gets him in trouble.... AGAIN.... (Reality Tea)

  • A FEW GOOD MINUTES with Jeff Probst on how season 1 of Survivor was "doomed" (VAriety)

posted 4/14/2025


Instagram
LUCY MARKOVIC: 1998-2025
"Australia's Next Top Model" Season 9 Runner-Up
From Deadline

Lucy Markovic, who starred in the 2015 season of Australia’s Next Top Model and went on to work for brands including Versace, has died. She was 27.

Markovic’s death was confirmed on her Instagram page and by her agent Elite Model Management.

The model had been battling arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a rare brain condition. “I regret to inform you that Lucy has passed,” said a statement on Markovic’s Instagram Stories. “She was at peace.”

Elite Model Management added: “We are heartbroken to share that Lucy Markovic has passed away after a brave battle with a brain AVM.

“Lucy was a bright shining light, and had an incredible dry sense of humor. Her smile and laughter could light up a room, and draw you closer to her. She loved to dance, she really shined.”

Donatella Versace was among those who paid tribute to Markovic. “I am so sorry to hear about Lucy. Rest in peace, beautiful girl,” the Italian fashion designer wrote on Instagram.

Model Cartia Mallan said: “Heartbroken to say the least. My beautiful friend Lucy sadly passed today after putting up a strong fight. I can’t even put into words how kind, radiant and caring she was as a human. Not to mention how insanely beautiful and talented she was.”

Markovic spoke about her diagnosis with AVM, a tangle of blood vessels in the brain, as recently as last month. The model said her AVM was “the size of a golf ball” and had resulted in her suffering seizures.

Marvokic appeared on Season 9 of Australia’s Next Top Model at the age of just 17. She finished in second place behind Brittany Beattie.

DEadline
ABC Australia
E!
Los Angeles Times

posted 4/11/2025

Happy Friday Lightning Round
... or "Happy Endings"

  • Bruno Alcantara goes from Drag Race's Pit Crew to "Happy Endings" For WOW Presents Plus (DEadline)

  • Graham Norton pays treibute to Eurovision on an upcoming season 2 episode of "Doctor Who" (Variety), PLUS the Doctor himself Ncuti Gatwa will deliver clues on Friday's Jeopardy! (Instagram @Jeopardy)

  • Clayton Echard fires back again (Reality TV World)

  • Rylee Arnold (ankle) is out of the Dancing with the Stars Tour (Reality TV World)

  • Ever see Ryan Seacrest's sister? Want to? (TV Insider)

  • This weekend, Jeopardy! tours DJ ahead of its live tour (WJLA WAshington)

  • Gladiators announces live UK tour (Female First)

  • A FEW GOOD MINUTES with Phil Keoghan on the road (TMZ)

posted 4/11/2025

Blankety Blank Returns _____
Bradley Walsh-Hosted "Match Game" Returns Next Week
From Radio Times

It's time get your quiz caps on, as Blankety Blank returns to BBC One in little under a week.

Returning to TV screens after last year's Christmas special, host Bradley Walsh is back once more, along with a panel of six celebrities who will aim to fill in the missing blanks and help win some brilliant prizes for contestants.

The game show will air on Saturday 19th April at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

The guests that Saturday include Antony Cotton, Nish Kumar, Rosie Jones, Lesley Joseph, Shane Richie and Mel B, who will all aim to help some very lucky players.

Speaking of the show's revival, Walsh said at the time: "I struggle to remember the last time I laughed as much as when I was filming Blankety Blank – so when they asked if I’d be up for doing a series, I jumped at the chance. "I’m just so pleased I get to be a part of it. I stand on the shoulders of giants like Les Dawson and Sir Terry Wogan, but I’m hoping to put my own stamp on the fantastically nostalgic show."

Radio Times

The UK Sun

posted 4/10/2025

Thursday Lightning Round
... or "Finish Line"

  • "Drag Race Untucked" rounds out season 16 on a high (DEadline)

  • Gordon Ramsay plays "secret service" for his new Fox project (TV Line)

  • Shirley Chung shares nine month update on her tongue cancer treatment (TV Insider)

  • Ever see Ryan Seacrest sing? Want to? (TV Insider)

  • With his ninth duel on "The Floor", Brian O'Halloran makes history (TV Insider)

  • Mike Dawson's story just got a whole lot more tragic (The US Sun)

  • A FEW GOOD MINUTES with Prue Leith (TV Insider)

posted 4/10/2025


Sony Pictures TV Studios/CBS Media Ventures

Kings of the Syndicated Hill
Wheel, Jeopardy! Rise
From TV Insider

The ratings battle between America’s two most iconic game shows has seen a significant swing in viewership.

Jeopardy! is firmly back on top of the ratings war with its rival game show, Wheel of Fortune, despite the latter seeing a numbers boost last year when Ryan Seacrest took over as host.

According to Nielsen numbers cited by The U.S. Sun, Jeopardy!, hosted by Ken Jennings, has regained its spot as TV’s number one most-watched entertainment program, leading the week of March 3 to March 9 with 8,902,000 total viewers. In comparison, Wheel of Fortune landed in the number two spot with 8,477,000 total viewers. Meanwhile, fellow game show Family Feud took up the third spot with 7,218,000 total viewers.

For the week of March 3 to 9, Jeopardy! aired its Invitational Tournament finals, which saw fan favorite Matt Amodio taking home his first tournament victory.

Jeopardy!‘s tournaments have done well in the ratings, with the Champions Wild Card Tournament also proving a success earlier this year. Between January 20 and January 26, Jeopardy! led the ratings chart with 8,430,000 total viewers, while Wheel wasn’t far behind with 8,111,000 total viewers.

The latest ratings come seven months after Seacrest made his debut as Wheel host, taking over from Pat Sajak, who retired in June 2024 after 41 seasons as host. Seacrest’s arrival saw a ratings boost for Wheel, which, between September 9 and October 6 2024, averaged 7.99 million viewers, making it the show’s best premiere month audience in three years and topping Jeopardy!.

TV Insider
The Sun
Outkiick

Monsters & Critics

posted 4/9/2025

The Devil's Second Plan
Netflix Drops Trailer for Season 2
From NME

Netflix has unveiled the highly anticipated teaser for the second season of its hit Korean game show, The Devil’s Plan.

Netflix shared the first look at The Devil’s Plan season two, titled Death Room, today (April 9). The teaser for The Devil’s Plan season two introduces the 14-member cast as they enter the survival game for the first time.

The cast includes K-pop singer Chuu, Super Junior‘s Kyuhyun, model Choi Hyun-joon, actors Justin H. Min and Yoon So-hui, among others. On top of the new footage, the teaser clip also revealed that the show will premiere May 6, exclusively on Netflix.

The Devil’s Plan first premiered in 2023 and followed 12 contestants who competed against each other in sophisticated games over seven days for a prize of ₩500million (roughly US$370,000). It featured a star-studded cast, including SEVENTEEN‘s Seungkwan, actress Lee Si-won and more.

The Devil’s Plan is produced by Jeong Jong-yeon, who was previously behind popular South Korean variety and games shows such as The Genius, The Great Escape and Girls’ High School Mystery Class.

Aside from The Devil’s Plan, Netflix is set to bring more Korean shows to its platform this year, as part of a broader slate of Korean series and films planned for 2025. Among them are favourites like Culinary Class Wars, Physical: 100 and more.

NME

posted 4/9/2025

"One Year Later..."
Season 7 of "Game Changer" Premieres
From Indiewire

From the very first episode of “Game Changer” — in which players were confronted with a lie detector machine that was revealed to be under the control of their significant others — the show has played with making and breaking classic game show and comedy formats. The Dropout series has continually tried to “one-up” and “yes-and” itself over the course of its run. Looking toward Season 7 of “Game Changer” on an episode of the Filmmaker Toolkit Podcast, the show’s host and mostly gentle dom Sam Reich (also the show’s head writer, executive producer, and Dropout CEO) wasn’t sure how “Game Changer” was going to keep topping itself.

The answers to that worry are starting to come in, now that Season 7 has opened with “One Year Later,” wherein Reich gives players Vic Michaelis, Lou Wilson, and Jacob Wysocki one calendar year to complete a series of tasks, ranging from keeping a sourdough starter alive to getting the most followers on a Soundcloud account to taking the best candid photo of Reich himself. “Game Changer” has expanded its scope visually. The show now boasts a much larger set with multiple entrances and more space for performers to play. It’s also expanded its ambitions in terms of how and when it brings in players beyond the three contestants who stand behind colorful loop-de-loop podiums each episode.

Indiewire

posted 4/9/2025


Fremantle/NBC
ALICE TAN RIDLEY: 1952-2025
Subway Singer, Gabourey Sidibe's Mother Took "Got Talent" Stage
From Billboard

Alice Tan Ridley, who competed on America’s Got Talent in 2010 after decades of performing in New York City subway stations, died on March 25 at age 72, according to an obituary from her family.

Ridley — who was also the mother of Precious and American Horror Story actress Gabourey Sidibe — pursued her dreams of singing late in life, competing on season 5 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent in 2010 at age 58.

She wowed the judges with her cover of Etta James’ “At Last” and with her story of performing on subway platforms for years. After Ridley’s initial audition, judge Sharon Osbourne marveled, “Alice, millions of people must’ve gone back and forth on that subway over the 20 years. How come nobody signed you?”

Ridley made it to the semifinals of AGT season 5 (with singer/songwriter Michael Grimm winning and 10-year-old singer Jackie Evancho finishing in second), and she released her debut album, Never Lost My Way, in 2016 at age 63.

Born in Lumpkin, Georgia, in 1952, Ridley moved to New York as an adult and got her teaching license. In addition to her subway singing, she also performed at Harlem’s Cotton Club for their “Brunch and Gospel” on Sundays.

Ridley is survived by two children: one son, Ahmed Sidibe, and her Oscar-nominated daughter Gabourey Sidibe, who made her film debut in 2009 in the title role of Precious. She’s gone on to appear in five seasons of the American Horror Story anthology series, as well as the 2015-2020 Fox musical series Empire as Becky.

Billboard
Deadline
New York DAily News
The Hollywood Reporter
TV Insider

posted 4/9/2025

Wednesday Lightning Round
... or "NOW You're Interested..."


posted 4/9/2025


EndemolShine North America/Fox

Fox Renews "MasterChef" for Season 15
Tiffany Derry Joins Cast as Judge
From Variety

“MasterChef” has been renewed for its 15th season on Fox. Additionally, “Top Chef” alum Tiffany Derry is joining the series as a judge.

The theme for Season 15 is “Dynamic Duos.” Pairs of home cooks, including couples, family members, friends and even divorcees will participate together in hopes of winning the $250,000 grand prize. The season will also feature the return of the Pressure Test.

Derry, who will judge alongside Joe Bastianich and host Gordon Ramsay, competed on Season 7 of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” on which she landed in fifth place and won the title of fan favorite. She has since appeared in cooking shows including “Chopped,” Bar Rescue,” “Cutthroat Kitchen,” “Worst Cooks in America,” “Bobby’s Triple Threat” and “Great American Recipe.” In 2022, she was a finalist for the James Beard Awards for best Texan chef and best new restaurant for Roots Southern Table in Dallas.

THe series is produced by Endemol Shine North America and One Potato Two Potato, with executive producers including Danny Schrader, Ramsay, Jennifer Fazey, Elisabeth Murdoch, Ben Adler, Pat Llewylln and Endemol Shine’s Sharon Levy and Michael Heyerman.

“Season after season, Gordon Ramsay and his team deliver limitless creativity and always raise the competitive bar, keeping ‘MasterChef’ among the top cooking shows on television, as we saw again with its impressive performance last summer,” said Michael Thorn, president of Fox Television Network. “The long-standing, collaborative partnership we enjoy with Gordon, Joe and the Endemol Shine North America team continues to bring compelling, differentiated experiences to our audience — a winning recipe we know will get even better by welcoming Tiffany’s fresh, expert perspective to the mix.”

“I’m beyond excited to join ‘MasterChef’ as a judge for Season 15, which is unlike any other,” said Derry. “For me, cooking has always been about passion, precision and heart, and I can’t wait to bring my perspective to the table alongside Gordon and Joe. The season challenges home cook duos in a whole new way, and it was so fun to see them rise to the occasion. Get ready for some incredible food, tough love and maybe even a little spice!”

Variety
TV Insider
Deadline

The FUton Critic

posted 4/8/2025


Sony Pictures TV Studios/CBS Media Ventures

When Worlds Collide
Wheel Slots IHeartRadio Week
From KABC-TV Los Angeles

Ryan Seacrest's media worlds are "colliding"... it's "iHeart Radio" week on "Wheel of Fortune." There are plenty of big prizes for music fans... and several special musical guests. Seacrest and his fellow host Vanna White give us the "spin" on this special week of shows.

"It's really exciting, to merge what I get to do every day on KIIS (FM radio) and around the country on iHeart, and show Vanna all these great musical experiences, backstage passes, different concert festivals we put on, the contestants seem to love it," said Seacrest.

White agreed: "They're so excited."

"And at the end, it culminates in a tournament," said Seacrest. "The best three of the week come back. And they actually perform, with Andy Grammer, with JoJo the artist, and Jason Derulo as teams."

The celebrity interaction shows how popular the long-running game show is with everyone! "It's so much fun. It really is," said White.

"Celebrities who watch 'Wheel of Fortune,' which there are a lot of... even my celebrity friends say 'my mom loves you! She watches you'."

KABC-TV Los Angeles
The Sun
Outkiick

posted 4/8/2025

The Chase Is On... in New Zealand
TVNZ to Shoot Four Episodes in Australia
From the New Zealand Herald

New Zealand is finally getting its own version of popular British television quiz show The Chase.

TVNZ confirmed today it has commissioned a four-episode special of The Chase New Zealand to be filmed in Sydney, Australia.

The local version will follow the same format as the original show in which contestants face a professional quizzer, known as the “Chaser”, who attempts to prevent them from winning a cash prize.

Casting is under way to find New Zealanders keen to show off their general knowledge prowess. Kiwi contestants will go head-to-head with The Chase Australia’s Chasers, with the possibility of facing global superstar “The Governess”, Anne Hegerty.

The show’s host and premiere date are yet to be announced but TVNZ confirmed that ITV Studios Australia has been commissioned to produce the limited run, with filming taking place in Sydney, Australia. Successful applicants will have to cover their own travel and accommodation costs.

The Chase is one of the most successful and longest running game shows on UK television and has become a successful international franchise. Regional versions of the show have been made in Australia, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Israel, Norway, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, The Netherlands, Turkey and the United States.

The New Zealand Herald
Rova

posted 4/8/2025

When Irish Castles Are Smiling
"The Traitors" Comes to Slane Castle
From Cork's 96FM

Slane Castle has been confirmed as the venue for the Irish edition of the hit game show.

It's official - the venue for the Irish version of The Traitors has been confirmed, as Slane Castle will host the game show. Filming has wrapped up on the set for the show's first season, and is expected to hit our screens this year.

It had been rumored that Slane Castle would be the home of the show - with host Siobhan McSweeney spotted there in recent weeks.

Darren Smith, MD Kite Entertainment, described the veue as 'perfect' for the show: "Our time in Slane Castle shooting The Traitors Ireland has been a real thrill, the perfect home for this show. We can’t wait for viewers to see all the high drama unfold as our cast banish and murder each other. In the meantime, the incredibly hard-working Traitors Ireland production team and cast are homeward bound for their first proper night's, murder free, sleep."

It'll be a change of scenery for the owners of the castle, who are used to hosting gigs rather than reality TV. However, owner Alex Mount Charles says he's delighted to be involved: "Slane Castle may be our home, but it was built for entertaining. Having The Traitors here is an enthralling evolution of this theme as the dramatic setting of the castle and its grounds now provide the backdrop for world class entertainment on the screen. The whole team at Kite Entertainment have dug deep on this one," he said.

And it could be there for the long haul too, as The Irish Sun reports the castle would be open to the show coming back in the future.

Cork's 96FM
The Irish Sun

posted 4/8/2025


Hasbro Studios

Do Not Pass Go, Go Directly to Netflix
Reality Adaptation Heads to Streamer
From Deadline

Monopoly is passing go at Netflix.

Deadline reports that the streamer has landed the reality competition series adaptation of the classic board game after a competitive bidding process.

The deal is the latest IP move for Netflix in the unscripted space, which has been ramping up strategy for broad, big-ticket reality shows that can work in the streaming space. The streamer had success with Squid Game: The Challenge; is working on The Golden Ticket, a competition series set in the world of Willy Wonka; and is developing a raft of other projects that have IP tie-ins.

Today’s news comes a month after Deadline reported that Hasbro Entertainment had taken out a series based on the game to unscripted buyers. The Monopoly series is hoping to bring the legendary game to the real world in a large-scale social-experiment contest. Strategy, alliances and cutthroat competition will collide as contestants battle for fortune and navigate the fine line between capitalism and chaos. Players will test their friendships, acquire riches and try to own it all by any means necessary.

A half-billion copies of the Monopoly game have been sold in more than 100 countries around the world since 1935, when the Parker Brothers began licensing the game for sale outside of the U.S. In 2023, Scopely released the mobile game Monopoly Go! It is separate from a feature film adaptation of the game, which is in the works from Lionsgate and Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap with John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, who wrote Apple TV+’s Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh movie Mayday, penning the script.

Hasbro Entertainment also is behind game shows based on two other classic board games – Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble, which have been turned into game shows by Lionsgate Alternative Television for The CW.

This is not the first go-around for televised Monopoly, as a game show aired in the summer of 1990 and again as a lottery-based game in 2015.

DEadline
TV Zone
Deadline
TV Line
Variety
Nerdist
Mental Floss
Screen Hub
Geek Tyrant

posted 4/8/2025

"The Wheel" to Spin for Two More
Catch It on BBC One Later This Year
From TV Zone

Spinning back to BBC One and iPlayer, Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel has been handed a double recommission with the BBC ordering a sixth and seventh series of the hit primetime gameshow.

Three contestants hope to answer their way to a fortune, guided by seven celebrity experts - but can they help them to win life-changing cash? That all depends on the spin of The Wheel.

In each show, seven fantastic celebrities are strapped to the circumference of the giant wheel. Each celebrity has brought one area of expertise to the show – and it is on these areas that the contestants must answer questions. The contestants themselves are underneath The Wheel, on another smaller wheel! This Contestant Wheel is spun, and whichever contestant is randomly selected, rises up on their chair, to take their place at the centre of The Wheel and begin the game. The contestant at the centre of The Wheel is in control – if they can stay there until the end of the show then they could win a life-changing sum of money. However, one wrong answer or spin of The Wheel and they’ll be back down to the Contestant Wheel, and they might never return…

Once all seven categories have been completed, whichever contestant is in control of The Wheel faces one final Cash Out question to try and take home a huge sum of money.

TV Zone
Bang Showbiz/Yahoo! News

posted 4/8/2025

Tuesday Lightning Round
... or "The Past Comes Back"

  • Colin Jost: on Russell Brand/Chris Brown episode: "We really know how to pair'em up." (Entertainment Weekly)

  • Clayton Echard calls out Gabby Windey for "bullying" (Entertainment Weekly)

  • Gleb Savchenko did not know Brooks Nader broke up with him until reading about it in the press (Us Weekly). In other news... Gleb Savchenko & Brooks Nader have broken up (Us Weekly)

  • Alan Cumming happy a 5-hour makeup job now takes 90 minutes (Entertainment Weekly)

  • Francesca Farago, star of Perfect Match, Too Hot to Handle, Love Is Blind, and Hailey Bieber's social feed. Allegedly (Reality Shrine)

  • MrBeast calls out penny-pinching reality franchises that award big money and withhold half for taxes (Newsbreak)

  • Ryan Seacrest takes a fall (WWBL Washington)

  • UK Gladiator Steel (Zack George) mourns the death of his premature son (North Norfolk News)

  • A FEW GOOD MINUTES with Ken JEnnings (TV Insider)

posted 4/8/2025


Food Network

Cutthroat Comeback
Brian Malarkey to Host Reboot for Food Network

From the Futon Critic

Culinary skills will not be enough to rise to the top in Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out - where chefs must be willing to sabotage their opponents while being cunning in how they surmount the sabotages thrown their way. Host Brian Malarkey dishes out the unpredictable and diabolical culinary challenges that will test four chefs on their cooking prowess, strategic thinking, and ability to innovate under pressure. With a starting bank of $25,000 each, the chefs will have opportunities to spend that money on advantages for themselves or on sabotages for their competition. The last chef standing walks away with the money they have left in their bank. The nine-episode series premieres on Tuesday, May 13 at 9pm ET/PT, and streams next day on Max.

"Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out will keep the competitors on their toes and the audience at the edge of their seats as menu plans are upended when the unforgiving sabotages get dished out," said Betsy Ayala, Head of Content, Food, Warner Bros. Discovery. "Cooking skills will only take you so far in the kitchen where chaos and mayhem reign, the competitors must be both cutthroat and creative to survive to the end."

In the first round of each episode, host Brian Malarkey sets up the challenge and dishes out the sabotages while auctioning off advantages as competitors fight to survive and see round two. And with only one minute to gather ingredients before tackling the challenges, chefs must be quick to get what they need before the doors swing closed or risk getting stuck in the pantry. One chef goes home at the end of round one and the winner gets an additional thousand dollars added to their bank. In the second round, the three remaining chefs will bid on sabotages to bestow on their competition, playing a simultaneous game of offense and defense to try and make it to the end. From foraging ingredients from a plane's bar and snack carts, to cooking a posh meal using only a hot dog roller and popcorn maker, the chefs must be strategic and crafty to navigate obstacles and outdo the competition. Each episode will feature one judge who will determine the winner of each round, tasting and evaluating the dishes before they know what challenges and sabotages were endured. Judges joining the fray across the season include Maneet Chauhan, Scott Conant, Alex Guarnaschelli, Aarti Sequeira and Jet Tila. The competitor with the best dish in the final round wins the game and the remaining money in their bank.

Fans can check out Food Network's social channels all season using #CutthroatKitchen to go behind-the-scenes of this diabolical competition. Plus, they can watch host Brian Malarkey test out some of the outrageous sabotages from the show to see if he can succeed where the contestants struggled. Viewers can also head to FoodNetwork.com for Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out news, updates, and more.

Brian Malarkey is one of the country's most successful and sought-after chef-restaurateurs, having created over 15 successful restaurant concepts throughout his career. His first restaurant group, which was sold to the Hakkasan Group, expanded to more than 10 locations in the U.S. and internationally under his leadership. Following that, Malarkey established a second restaurant group, the Puffer Malarkey Collective, with his longtime business partner, Christopher Puffer, which includes 4 diverse concepts in San Diego, including Herb & Wood, Herb & Sea, Animae, Steakhouse Le Coq, and, in partnership with the Irvine Company, Herb & Ranch. His most recent venture, Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge, is a modern cowboy restaurant and bar located in his hometown of Bend, Oregon, under The Brothers Malarkey Portfolio. Malarkey has been a judge on Food Network's Guy's Grocery Games, Chopped and an upcoming episode of 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing, as well as a competitor on Tournament of Champions and Wildcard Kitchen. He was also a contestant on Top Chef (Season 3) and Top Chef All-Stars (Season 17) and a winning mentor on The Taste.

Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out is produced by Big Fish Entertainment for Food Network.

The Futon Critic
Reality Blurred
Realscreen
WBD Press
Biography
The New York Times
Movieweb

posted 4/4/2025

Shudder Offers Guts, Glory
Survivor Meets Survival in Greg Nicotero Creation
From Bloody Disgusting

Shudder is rejoining forces with “Creepshow” series creator Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon); the streaming service has officially greenlit immersive horror competition series “Guts & Glory.” “Guts & Glory“ is set to debut later this year on both Shudder and AMC+ (U.S. and Canada).

The six-episode series “flips the script on the traditional competition show – thrusting players into an immersive horror experience full of unexpected challenges.“

“If you know horror, you know the innovation and creativity that Greg Nicotero brings to the genre. His legendary special effects work has given audiences a fresh and thrilling take on familiar genre staples from his notorious walkers of The Walking Dead to the monsters of Creepshow and more, never failing to shock and scare,“ said Rob Fox, EVP of production for AMC Networks. “We’re thrilled to continue our longstanding relationship with Greg in bringing his unique concept to life with moments and scenarios that shock, surprise and showcase the depth of this genre.“

Said Award-winning special effects artist, director and executive producer Greg Nicotero, “I couldn’t be more excited with this opportunity to explore this new landscape. To marry a non-scripted competition show with a genre narrative lands along the lines of ‘if Survivor and The Blair Witch Project had a baby.‘ It’s one of the most creative and organic things I’ve ever done, creating FX that have to happen live in real time and capturing the honest reactions….all the while fighting to see who the winner will be. To add to the mayhem, I also got to reunite many of the key crew members from The Walking Dead Universe to help bring this show to life.“

Executive producers include series showrunner Nicotero and Brian Witten from Monster Agency Productions, Chris Wagner from White Label, and Andrew Molina from Salaryman. Jeffrey F. January serves as co-executive producer.

Bloody Disgusting
Collider
The Futon Critic
The Wrap

posted 4/7/2025

Open House for Celebrities
Meet This Season's Celebirty Big Brother Houseguests
From DEadline

A new edition of Celebrity Big Brother UK is here, and a new group of famous housemates are taking on the challenge of living under constant surveillance for a cash prize at the end.

AJ Odudu and Will Best return to host the reality TV competition and welcome the celebrities.

The first two housemates who entered the house were singer Chesney Hawkes and JoJo Siwa. TV show host Trisha Goddard entered the competition, saying in her introduction that she had Stage 4 breast cancer.

Other celebrity housemates include Chris Hughes (TV host), Patsy Palmer (actress), Michael Fabricante (conservative politician), Jack P. Shepherd (actor), Ella Rae Wise (The Only Way Is Essex), Daley Thompson (Olympic gold medalist) Donna Preston (actress), and Angellica Bell (TV and radio host).

Danny Beard, a RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 4 winner, also entered the house. Mickey Rourke was the last housemate to enter the CBBUK house.

Celebrity Big Brother UK 2025 is the 24th season overall, but it is the second season produced by ITV. Its first edition, which aired in 2024, saw David Potts win Season 23, with Nikita Kuzmin taking second place.

Celebrity Big Brother will once again be followed each night by Celebrity Big Brother: Late & Live – giving viewers an additional hour of exclusive content. Airing on ITV2 and ITVX, Celebrity Big Brother: Late & Live will once again be the only place to watch the celebrity evictees first live interview alongside an array of unmissable exclusive features including access to the camera runs, special guest commentary and fiery debate.

Deadline

posted 4/7/2025


Getty/Rolling Stone
JAY NORTH: 1951-2025
TV's "Dennis the Menace" Played Games
From the AP

Jay North, who starred as the towheaded mischief maker on TV’s “Dennis the Menace” for four seasons starting in 1959, has died. He was 73.

North died Sunday at his home in Lake Butler, Florida, and had colon cancer, said Laurie Jacobson, a longtime friend, and Bonnie Vent, who was his booking agent.

“He had a heart as big as a mountain, loved his friends deeply. He called us frequently and ended every conversation with ‘I love you with all my heart,’” Jacobson wrote in a tribute on Facebook.

North was 6 when he was cast as the smiling troublemaker in the CBS sitcom adaptation of Hank Ketcham’s popular comic strip that took place in an idyllic American suburb. Often wearing a striped shirt and overalls, Dennis’ mischievous antics frequently frustrated his retired next-door neighbor George Wilson, played by Joseph Kearns. After Kearns died, Gale Gordon played Wilson’s brother. Dennis’ patient parents were played by Herbert Anderson and Gloria Henry. The show ran on Sunday nights until it was canceled in 1963. After that it was a fixture for decades in syndication.

Later, North appeared on TV in shows including “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” “The Lucy Show,” “My Three Sons,” “Lassie” and “The Simpsons,” and in movies like “Maya” (1966), “The Teacher” (1974) and “Dickie Robert: Former Child Star” (2003). He also voiced a teenaged Bamm-Bamm Rubble in "The Pebbles & Bamm-Bamm Show" based on the Flintstones universe.

In games, North appeared on episodes of "Hollywood Squares", "The Dating Game", "I've Got a Secret", and "Couch Potatoes"..

North is survived by his third wife, Cindy, and three stepdaughters.

AP
TV Line
The Wrap
Entertainment Weekly
Variety
The Hollywood Reporter
TV Insider

posted 4/7/2025

"Man or Mannequin?" Heads to Italy
Citywide Game of Hide & Seek Optioned to Casta Diva
From Prensario

“Man or Mannequin?”, the competitive gameshow format produced by Japan's leading multiplatform entertainment powerhouse Nippon TV, has been optioned for adaption in the Italian market by Italian production company Casta Diva.

The announcement was made today by Sayako Aoki, Head of International Sales at Nippon TV, and Massimo Righini and Fabio Nesi, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer, respectively, at Casta Diva Pictures.

“Man or Mannequin?”, which launched globally at MIPCOM 2024, is a high-stakes, team-based game show where celebrity contestants race against time to find mannequins cleverly hidden throughout the city. Contestants might find a mannequin baby in a stroller at a shopping arcade or realize that a woman sitting cozily with a partner on a park bench is actually a mannequin. Each mannequin found brings the team closer to victory, but hidden among them are fake mannequins and humans pretending to be mannequins trying to fool the contestants. As the game progresses, expanding into new locations with even more cunning and witty disguises, the challenge intensifies. Former teammates might become rivals, using their knowledge of each other's strategies to outwit and outplay as they try determining what is real or fake.

Quote from Sayako Aoki, Head of International Sales at Nippon TV: 'Since the launch of “Man or Mannequin?” last October, we have been receiving positive feedback towards this format from around the world for its light-hearted, hilarious content which can provide viewers with a little break from their busy everyday life. We are excited to work with Casta Diva Pictures towards its first international version and looking forward to seeing what their creativity brings to this format'

Quote from Massimo Righini, Chief Operating Officer at Casta Diva Pictures: 'Being able to option this format while other global companies had also been showing interest is a great honor. We immediately understood that “Man or Mannequin?” has a very high entertainment potential that comes from a simple but brilliant idea that only the Nippon TV team could create. We can't wait to propose it to an Italian broadcaster. We are sure that an idea like this has never been proposed'.

Quote from Fabio Nesi, Chief Executive Officer at Casta Diva Pictures: 'We are proud to have been chosen by an entertainment giant like Nippon TV to bring an innovative format to the Italian audience. This decision highlights our ability to look beyond national borders to seize the best international opportunities and bring innovation to the Italian market. Leveraging our extensive experience in producing high-quality content, coupled with our deep knowledge of the international market, we will be able to create an Italian edition of "Man or Mannequin?" that reflects the tastes and expectations of the local audience, while maintaining the originality and charm of the original format'

Prensario

posted 4/7/2025

Battle Camp About to Open
Netflix Greenlights REality Crossover Event
From Radio Times

Move over Perfect Match and hello Battle Camp!

Some of the biggest faces across Netflix's reality shows and docuseries will be pushing themselves to their absolute limits to survive a day in camp. Featuring stars from the likes of Love Is Blind, Selling the OC, Too Hot to Handle and plenty more - it's a varied mix!

Hosted by former Tennessee Titan Taylor Lewan, Battle Camp will see campers divided into three teams: the Wolves, the Bears and the Eagles - but only one person can win. Each episode will see the Netflix stars do whatever it takes to keep their name off the elimination spinning wheel, which dictates who stays and who goes, with all 10 episodes launching on Wednesday, April 23.

Taking part in the series are plenty of faces viewers know and love including The Mole season 1 contestant Avori Henderson, Too Hot to Handle's Brianna Balram, Too Hot to Handle and Perfect Match alum Chase DeMoor, Cheer star Gabi Butler, Too Hot to Handle icon Georgia Hassarati and Selling the OC's Gio Helou.

Joining them is Love Is Blind's Irina Solomonova, The Circle's Kyle Fuller, The Ultimatum's Lexi Cayla, Squid Game: The Challenge's Lorenzo Nobilio, Too Hot to Handle's Louis Russell, Cheer's Morgan Simianer, The Circle's Nick Uhlenhuth, Selling the OC's Polly Brindle and The Circle star Quori-Tyler Bullock.

Rounding out the cast is The Circle's Shubham Goel, The Mole's Antonio Alejandro Castellanos and Squid Game: The Challenge star Trey Plutnicki. By the end of the 10 episodes, the Battle Camp winner will take home a $250,000 cash prize and there is just under a month to find out who exactly that will be!

Radio Times
Cosmopolitan
Netflix Tudum
The Futon Critic
Sports Illustrated

posted 4/7/2025

Monday Lightning Round
... or "A Blessing in Disguise?"

  • Amber Ruffin thinks losing the WHCA dinner was a good thing (The Wrap)

  • Pat Sajak, Maggie witnessed history (TV Insider)

  • Love Is Blind did not show an engagement. Here's why (Reality Shrine) PLUS a complaint from someone whose engagement was shown (Reality Shrine)

  • Game Changer not eligible for an Emmy because... reasons (Variety)

  • FIRST LOOK: Is American Gladiators prepping for a reboot... in FRANCE?! (Casting Events)

  • #ICYMI: TPIR welcomed back an old friend today (Monsters & Critics)

  • Will Forte apparently wanted to do "The Amazing Race" with Val Kilmer... now it's his "biggest regret" (The Wrap)

  • A FEW GOOD MINUTES with Spencer Pratt (TV Insider)

posted 4/7/2025


IFC Films

It's Time To Press Your Luck on the Big Screen
PYL Movie "Luckiest Man in America" Opens Friday

From Fandom Wire

After his big break in a scene-stealing supporting role in I, Tonya, Paul Walter Hauser has become one of Hollywood’s most unlikely leading men. Working with such acclaimed filmmakers as Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman and Da 5 Bloods) and Clint Eastwood (Richard Jewell), and starring in franchises like Cobra Kai and the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Hauser is one of the most reliably great actors working today.

Hauser’s latest role is as the lead in The Luckiest Man in America (in theatres April 4), a thriller in which he plays an unemployed ice cream truck driver who beats the odds to rack up the record for highest winnings on the game show Press Your Luck. To the role, he brings not only his signature charm but also the depth and humility that makes his work so special.

Fandom Wire
Spokane Spokeman-Review
Paste
ABC News
Biography
The New York Times
Movieweb

posted 4/4/2025

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